Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Topped with the best blueberries summer can offer Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie is plump with a creamy custard filling.

“A gardener had trimmed the ancient roses, planted geraniums, laid out the vegetable flat, and brought the living spring into little channels to wander back and forth through the garden.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Topped with the best blueberries summer can offer Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie is plump with a creamy custard filling. Cradled inside a cinnamon laced graham cracker crumb crust this pie is ready for any occasion.

Essentials

Using a food processor to make the both the crust and filling, this Williams Sonoma recipe has been adapted to use whole graham crackers. Salt, lemon zest and juice have been added to brighten the flavors of this dessert. The original recipe with graham cracker crumbs and stand mixer instructions is here. Just make sure to add the lemon and salt. And the cinnamon to the graham cracker crust. A big pop of flavor makes this summer dessert shine.

High Ground Organics in Watsonville, has the best local blueberries. Lush and bursting with berry flavor I made jam and this Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie. Blueberry Crumble or Blueberry Poppy Seed Brunch Cake are other fabulous blueberry ideas. Act fast, summer berries arrive and disappear quickly. Soon it will be apple season.

	Graham Cracker Crust
2C/220gr	graham crackers
2T	sugar
1/2t	fine grain sea salt
1/2t	cinnamon
1/2C/4oz	unsalted butter, melted and cooled
	Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 lb	full fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2C	sugar
1t	vanilla extract
1T	lemon zest
1/2t	fine grain sea salt
2	eggs
	Blueberry Topping
1/2 lb	fresh blueberries
1/4C	sugar
1t	fresh lemon juice
4t	cornstarch

1. Heat oven to 325°.
2. Add the graham crackers to the bowl of a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Add the sugar, salt and cinnamon, process to mix together. While the food processor is running, pour the melted butter through the feed tube. Process until well blended, stopping to scrape down the insides and bottom of the processor as needed. Firmly press the crumb mixture evenly into a 9 inch pie pan. Push some of the crumbs to the edge and up the sides of the pan to make a cradle for the custard filling. Bake until firm, 8-10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before adding the filling to the pie pan.
3. Wipe the bowl of the food processor bowl and blade clean of the crumb mixture. Add the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Process until thoroughly blended and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and process until well blended. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the filling is just set, 25 to 30 minutes. When done, only the center will jiggle slightly. Let cool on a wire rack.
4. To make the blueberry topping in a saucepan combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup water and the sugar. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and the cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water. Return to medium-high heat, bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool until lukewarm. Spoon the blueberries over the custard filling. Refrigerate the pie for at least 1 hour before serving.